b) During the Family Assessment, the
supportive services needed by the participant which must be discussed and
provided or arranged as needed include at least the following:
1) transportation;
2) child care;
3) job search and work activity
allowances;
4) employment/job
retention expenses;
5) required
books, fees, supplies;
6) required
physical examinations and medical services (for example, TB test);
7) eyeglasses and dental procedures;
and
8) required background
checks.
e) Student
financial assistance received under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (
20 USC
1070 et seq. and
20
USC
1087 uu ), including but not limited to
Federal Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Byrd
Scholarship Honors Program Grants, State Student Incentive Grants, Federal
Stafford Loans, Supplemental Loans for Students, Perkins Loans, Federal
Work-Study and PLUS Loans, shall be exempt when determining eligibility or need
for supportive services under the TANF program (Sections
112.70
through
112.83 ), or
the amount of such supportive services, except as follows. The Department shall
not issue payment for the amount of supportive service needs (other than child
care) which the Department is able to conclusively determine have been or will
be met from such portion of a student's financial assistance grant as is not
disbursed to the student but rather is retained by the educational institution
and applied to the cost of a specific educational expense otherwise payable as
a supportive service under the TANF program. The exception shall not apply to
the student's loan proceeds, which may never be taken into account in
determining the need or eligibility of any student for supportive services, or
the amount of such supportive services, under the TANF program. Nor shall the
exception apply if the educational institution intermingles student grant and
loan proceeds and the Department is unable to conclusively determine the
portion of solely grant proceeds that is not disbursed to the student but
rather is retained by the educational institution and applied to the cost of a
specific educational expense otherwise payable as a supportive service under
the TANF program.
f) Eligible
Services
1) Transportation
A) If requested and required (for example, a
participant who does not have an automobile), expenses for transportation shall
be provided to enable participants to attend approved activities and
appointments and to begin or keep employment.
B) Transportation expenses are to be paid to
permit participation in approved activities or to begin or keep employment
including travel necessary to locate appropriate child care.
C) Transportation expenses are to be paid to
permit the participant to take a State certification examination.
D) Payment for lodging is permitted with
Department approval to allow the participant to take a State certification
examination. The Department's determination is based on the participant's
geographical location, time required for travel, and means of available
transportation from the examination site.
E) Payment for transportation is only made
for expenses that, with other educational expenses, exceed the amount of the
financial aid benefits.
F) A
transportation allowance is provided for participants in approved program
activities (for example, job clubs and Job Readiness sessions).
i) Public Transportation
Pay the actual public transportation rate per day or the cost
of a monthly pass, whichever is less. This applies to the City of Chicago and
communities statewide where public transportation is available.
ii) Private Transportation
Pay the following monthly rates if the participant must use a
privately owned vehicle or pay someone for transportation: $30 - Round trip
transportation less than 10 miles per day; $45 - Round trip transportation from
10 to 20 miles per day; and $60 - Round trip transportation over 20 miles per
day.
2) Child Care
A) If requested and required (for example,
when school is not in session), expenses for child care services shall be
provided to enable participants to attend approved activities and related
appointments.
B) Child care
expenses may be paid to enable participants to start or maintain
employment.
C) The Department shall
allow payment of an amount not to exceed the maximum rates per child as
established by the Department.
3) Job Search and Work Activity Allowances
A) An allowance of $20 a month is to be paid
to individuals participating in the Job Search Activity to assist in the
payment of Job Search-related expenses or to individuals to assist in the
payment of Job Search-related expenses if Job Search activities are part of
another TANF activity.
B) An
allowance of $20 a month is to be paid to individuals to assist in the payment
of work expenses related to participation in community service, work
experience, or the Work First Activity.
4) Mandatory Fees
Mandatory fees, including application, registration,
activities, laboratory, graduation and testing fees, are provided to
participants enrolled in approved education or training programs (see Section
112.78
) when the mandatory fees are not covered by financial aid benefits. A maximum
payment of $300 per 12 month period shall be provided. No payments are allowed
for tuition.
5) Books and
Supplies
Payment is allowed for books, supplies and equipment
purchased in accordance with the educational or training facility's published
list of required items for the particular program in which a participant is
enrolled. A maximum payment of $300 per 12 month period can be provided for
expenses not covered by financial aid benefits.
6) Required Physical Examinations and Medical
Services
Payment is permitted for participants to obtain required
physical examinations and medical services (for example, TB test) if the costs
are not otherwise provided by sources such as the employer or the training
program.
7) Payment is
permitted for:
A) special clothing, e.g.,
uniforms, hard hats, outsize clothing, etc. (maximum $600 in any 12-month
period);
B) required tools which
are not provided by the employer (maximum $600 in any 12-month
period);
C) repairs on an
automobile (maximum $900 in any 12-month period). The following requirements
are to be met before a request for payment for repair of an automobile is
approved: The client has no other available and suitable form of transportation
to and from work or the approved activity. The client is unable to report to
work or the approved activity unless the automobile is repaired. The client has
a valid driver's license and has provided evidence of insurability. The
automobile, when repaired, will be suitable for the purpose intended and no
other obvious mechanical deficiency has been observed. The title and license of
the automobile must be in the name of the client (or the client's spouse if the
spouse lives in the home);
D) auto
license plate fees;
E) auto
liability insurance at the cheapest rate but not to exceed $225 for three
months coverage, whichever is less costly (can be issued three times in any
12-month period);
F) other required
items related to a specific job or approved activity (maximum $900 in any
12-month period);
G) items or
services purchased that will assist the individual in meeting Illinois
Department of Children and Family Services' child care licensing requirements
(maximum $900 in any 12-month period). Items and services may include but are
not limited to the purchase of fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, first aid kits
and installation of a telephone;
H)
security deposit for the driver of a carpool vehicle to transport a group of
workers to a worksite; and
I)
expenses appropriate for the self-employment of the individual or expenses for
other micro enterprise start ups likely to generate income.
8) Eyeglasses and Dental
Procedures
Payment is allowed with Department approval for eyeglasses
and dental procedures such as partial plates for participants with noticeably
missing/malformed teeth or other dental procedures needed to meet the
objectives of the participant's Responsibility and Services Plan and alleviate
barriers to employment.
9)
Background Checks
Payment of fees for conviction background investigations is
allowed when employers require a background check of their regular employees
for the same type of job or work experience that is completed by the TANF
participant. Criminal history record conviction information is obtainable by
the public pursuant to the Uniform Conviction Information Act [20 ILCS 2635 ]
and the Health Care Worker Background Check Act [225 ILCS 46 ].
10) Payment shall not be
authorized to purchase firearms, pay bail bonds or traffic tickets.
11) Ancillary Supportive Services
A) In addition to supportive service
payments, as specified in subsection (b) of this Section, participants are
eligible to receive the following ancillary supportive services:
i) vocational rehabilitation;
ii) emergency intervention
services;
iii) substance abuse or
domestic or sexual violence programs;
iv) life skills training
activities;
v) family planning/sex
education;
vi) parenting skills;
and
vii) family
counseling.
B) Child
care and transportation at the Department's established rates may be provided
to enable TANF participants to receive ancillary supportive services.
C) If emergency intervention services are
needed, TANF staff will refer the participant to the appropriate Local Office
for application under the Crisis Assistance Program (see 89 Ill. Adm. Code
116). The need for supportive services shall be discussed with the participant
when a review of the participant's Responsibility and Services Plan is
made.